In response to the declaration of a national disaster by Mali’s transitional government on August 23, the United States, through its embassy in Bamako and the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), has provided emergency humanitarian assistance to help thousands of Malians affected by the recent devastating floods.
USAID has provided an initial US$125,000 (more than 73.9 million CFA francs) to UNICEF and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). The funds will be used to coordinate national response efforts and provide emergency relief to communities in Bamako and other hard-hit areas. The funds will be used to distribute basic necessities such as food, shelter, drinking water, and hygiene kits.
This assistance is part of a broader USAID intervention in flood-affected areas. In the Ségou region, the American agency has already funded the distribution of survival kits, including buckets, kitchen utensils, and mattresses, as well as basic food items such as oil, rice, and soap. USAID has also contributed to the distribution of 2.5 tons of energy biscuits and provided five vehicles to facilitate the evacuation of vulnerable populations.
Since the beginning of the rainy season, 122 cases of flooding have been recorded in Mali’s 17 regions and the Bamako district, affecting 47,374 people in 7,077 households.
The human toll of the floods was 30 dead and 104 injured, with deaths occurring in several regions, including Ségou, Gao and Bamako. The government of Mali responded by activating the Crisis Management and Coordination Centre to orchestrate relief efforts, including the provision of food and non-food items and the distribution of 128.6 million CFA francs in cash to support those affected.
In addition, 903 households were temporarily sheltered in schools.
With this gesture, the U.S. government, through USAID, reaffirmed its commitment to support Mali during this difficult period.
Since October 2022, the United States has spent more than $128 million on humanitarian activities in Mali, consolidating its position as the country’s leading development and humanitarian donor.
With persistent rains expected to affect up to 344,000 people this year, the U.S. will continue to increase its support and contribute to the stabilisation and resilience of Malian communities.
MD/sf/ac/lb/as/APA